From inside the book

This is an awesome, near-half-size, "collotype reproduction" [monochrome] in book form of an enormous Manuscript Roll depicting [on 36 Vellum membranes glued edge to edge and nearly 60 ft long by 14 ins. high] - 'vignettes' [think "snap-shots"] from the State Tournament commanded and devised by King Henry VIII on 12th/13th February 1511, in celebration of the Birth of Prince Arthur. The Manuscript was created under the direction of Garter King of Arms Sir Thomas Wriothesley, in the heraldic Limners' [artists] Studio he had installed at his house at Coldharbour; in the City of London; - and as Wriothesley was himself a contemporaneously-celebrated and very-prolific heraldic artist [Limner], it is now believed that an [unquantifiable] portion of the painting was done by his own hand. Events pictured are the Entry Procession [ now believed from other historic references to be that of the morning of February 13th], with all the figures described and identified by either names or Offices; - a Joust Scene before the Ladies, and the Awarding of the Prizes. Despite the passing of over 500 years, the pictures are notable for their details, their brilliant colouring and for the lavish use of gold leaf. The Manuscript has remained in the possession of the Crown ever since it was created during the Summer of 1511. There have only been two attempts to reproduce the manuscript to make it available to a wider Academic community, - a Victorian Edition with engraved monochrome Plates, which I believe was published by The Treasury under the auspices of The Master of The Rolls; - and this 1968 2-Volume Edition - which is the only one to include full-colour and gold-leafed Plates of 8 of the Membranes. The missing Second Volume is a very exhaustive and informative Commentary on the history of the scroll, it's construction, creation, - and about the persons therein depicted, - by Sir Anthony Wagner, Garter King of Arms in 1968. The very-limited printing of the 1968 Edition was originally sold as a 2-Volume Set protected by a heavy slip-case, aimed at University and other major Libraries; - and cost £30GB - which is the equivalent of £400-00 GB in 2013 [ using a "historic multi-currency value calculator" available from the Banque de France] Any second-hand copies coming-up for sale now must be regarded as highly-collectable items for the niche-market of heraldic enthusiasts; - because this single 1968-printing was sold out decades ago. It is unlikely that there will ever be another reproduction of the "Great Tournament Roll of Westminster" because the original is extremely fragile. The boxed Set weighs around 6lbs, and measures roughly 14" x12" x 2".